Where is My Life Guide?
by lunafrak
Summary: Eight years before Digimon 02 divorce has torn a rift in the Oikawa family, but for those already trying to make amends, one learns her adventures in the Digiworld must remain a secret, much to her own chagrin.


Papers, papers, papers. Yukio couldn't believe how many papers there were to finalizing a stupid divorce. Court hadn't even started yet and people were already breathing down his neck.

His pen scribbled furiously, the only sound in the room besides the judge clearing his throat.

How did it come to this? Yukio couldn't believe she wanted out of the marriage.

Seven years, two kids. What a nightmare.

"Mr. Oikawa, any knowledge as to why your wife is running short on time?" Inquired the judge as he looked at his watch.

Yukio shook his head, giving no vocal to his answer. His throat was already strained thinking of his daughters.

He lessened the force of his signatures and slowed down, taking a breath.

She was the one who wanted to do this. Why? Yukio didn't know. He was the one watching the kids or finding a babysitter while she was off with her friends every day.

He just had to help her get that job in the modeling department.

He hadn't even noticed the person behind him. Someone leaned over him and put an X at a signature. He jumped and looked with his wide, dark eyes.

"About time, Michiru." He scowled. His almost ex-wife didn't acknowledge his presence as she dotted a few more papers. Once she was finished, she straightened up, but before leaving, she ruffled her husband's dark, unruly hair.

"Don't be so glum, Yukio." She said in a deadpan tone with a smile. "Just think: now you can do all the computer whizzing you want."

"This isn't about me." Yukio growled, piercing a glare to Michiru, who pierced back, "It's about the girls'-"

"Quit your griping. It's almost over."

_"Mrs. Oikawa."_

The judge looked over the two in the lone room as they faced off. He radiated his superiority and gestured for Michiru to take her seat. The young woman took the seat opposite of Yukio and they began.

Passing the papers to the judge, Yukio and Michiru remained silent. Yukio couldn't help but feel like twisting his own wrist while Michiru stared at her husband out of the corner of her eye.

"Mr. Oikawa. You have agreed to your wife's terms?" The judge asked. Yukio swallowed his pride and shook his head. With a noticeable, begrudging sigh, the judge looked back to the papers. "Split custody of your two children, ages seven and four. Permanent custody of Dulcie, age seven, to you, Mr. Oikawa."

Yukio felt an invisible knife cutting his heart at the words 'split'. Why did Michiru insist on split custody? She was never home, why did he have to share?

"Permanent custody of Romey, age four, to you, Mrs. Oikawa."

Michiru nodded unfeelingly.

"I find it unfortunate that you feel you must separate a bond. Sisters are sometimes the best friend one can have. However-"

"Yukio's the one letting it happen." Michiru struck. Oikawa felt the blow and he faced his wife with rage.

"Liar!" He spat back.

"Enough!" The judge cried. "You have both agreed to each other's terms. If you wish to change anything, you'll need to do so with the court later. However, you have agreed to visitation times. One child will live with both of you, while during a holiday, you'll gain visitation from the other. During that holiday, one of you will have custody of both. We will rotate holidays each year so you'll all get fair time."

Yukio's teeth were grinding while Michiru stared at him with that God-awful grin of hers.

"Is the pressure getting to you, Yukio?" His model-wife asked, shining her new, bright, white veneers. Yukio smiled back and played along.

"Is that broccoli in your teeth?" Michiru's complexion went white and she fished her compact from her purse, turning her back on him and the judge and leaving Yukio to his victory.

The judge signed several documents and paid no attention to the spat as Michiru realized there was nothing in her teeth and she threw the compact back into her purse, but before she could retaliate, the judge began again.

"Seeing that this is your final court date for finalization, you are, by this court, separated. Miss Michiru, you may, of course, return to your maiden name."

"Michiru Ichijouji." She glared at Yukio.

"If you have any other questions, please feel free to return to the court at a later date. You are dismissed."

Without missing a beat, Michiru was on her feet, purse slung over her shoulder, her high heels clanking on the marble floor. Yukio stood up, running a hand though his hair as he nodded to and thanked the judge.

Walking out the door, there was Michiru, standing in the hallway, glaring at Yukio.

"Waiting for me?" Yukio glared, passing her by, "You shouldn't have."

"Shut your hole. You need to show me the way to your friend's house so I can pick up Romey."

"If you'd have visited them more like they offered, you could have left already."

"I hate your friends. I'd never go to their parties."

"I hate your friends." Yukio grunted back, not looking at Michiru as they walked side-by-side, "They're the kind that make people's lives miserable."

"So touching." Michiru rolled her eyes in sarcasm as they walked out the doors. She headed towards her red convertible while Yukio opened his white two-door. Once inside, Yukio scrambled for the radio button, turning it onto a hard rock station and pumped the bass, letting his friends AC/DC scream into his eardrums.

_**XXXX**_

The two children left by Michiru and Yukio sat on the living room floor, watching the babysitters' own baby gum on his chubby fingers. Dark-topped Dulcie looked around to Mr. Hida, who sat own the couch. He watched the three with a cup of coffee in one hand while his free arm was coiled around his wife's shoulders as she watched the news.

"Mr. Hiroki, why does Cody eat his hand?" Indigo-haired Romey asked.

"He's teething." Dulcie answered her little sister, "He's growing teeth."

Romey started to pout, "I wanna grow teeth too."

Hiroki laughed as his wife looked down on her baby boy, his bright green eyes taking in his surroundings, although nothing had changed. The same two girls that had been there since that morning were still staring at him. He tried to find something new as he squirmed and bit furiously at his hand. Mrs. Hida tended to her son and put a teething ring in his tiny hands.

"Hiroki, when is Yukio due back?" She asked. Hiroki became serious and shook his head.

"I haven't the foggiest, dear." He replied. His wife sat back down next to him and let him wrap his arm around her again.

"In a way, I'm glad they're finally separating. Michiru never really liked family life. I could tell."

"Yukio deserved better. His girls deserved better." Hiroki sighed. "He got Michiru her dream job and she turned her back on them. I can't say she's my favorite person right now."

"_Dear_." Mrs. Hida whispered briskly, nodding towards the two girls and, instantly, Hiroki's lips were sealed.

A knock on the door and a peek through the window caught their attention instead as Dulcie and Romey smiled and started a race to the door.

"Momma! Daddy!" Romey blubbered as Hiroki stood up and quickly answered the door. Outside stood Yukio and Michiru, only happy to see their children. Hiroki smiled as he waited for Michiru to turn away.

"How'd it go?" He asked. Yukio's face dimmed and he shook his head, motioning he needed to go. Hiroki nodded and patted his friend's shoulder, allowing his leave with his family. Hiroki watched them walk down the platform to the parking lot outside as his wife approached.

"What happened?" She asked, sensing trouble. Hiroki shook his head, but kept an eye on what was happening. "I don't know. I don't know if I should even be watching them leave."

"Then for me, dear," Mrs. Hida asked, "Having you watch them leave will let me feel better." She said, referring to Hiroki's Police Officer duties. Hiroki nodded and kept his eye on the family as they headed for two different cars.

"I wanna ride with Mommy!" Romey said, clinging on to Michiru's hand. Not looking down, Michiru approached her car and unlocked it with the click of a button on her keychain.

"Me too! I wanna ride with mommy too!" Dulcie giggled, and she took off for the car, but was caught by her mother playfully. Yukio watched in despair and disgust.

_Now_ she was being motherly.

"Dulcie." She said softly, catching the child's attention. "I can't take you with me. You have to ride with daddy."

"Then I wanna ride with daddy too!" Romey squealed, making a dash for Yukio. Yukio looked down and watched the four-year-old cling to his leg. He smiled, but didn't fight any tears, an act Michiru frowned upon. Romey looked to her sad father and tightened her hug.

"Are you okay? She asked. Yukio smiled even bigger.

"Yes… and no…" Yukio kneeled and let his children come to him. "Dulcie… You can't go home with mommy."

"Why not?" She asked, becoming defensive, "I don't wanna get left behind!"

"You won't," Yukio laughed, more tears falling. "You're gonna stay here with me."

"Aren't you coming home?" Romey asked. Yukio was fighting it now.

"No. I'm not Romey. I can't come home."

"Why?" Romey asked, becoming frightened now.

"Mommy and Daddy… Aren't friends anymore."

"Yukio…" Michiru growled.

"And Mommy and Daddy aren't gonna be together anymore."

"That's it, Yukio." Michiru snarled. She walked to him and snatched Romey's hand, frightening her.

"Ow! Momma!" She cried. Yukio stood, stopping Michiru with a firm hold onto her arm.

"You had your time." Michiru snapped.

"I want to say good-bye to _my _daughter." Yukio snarled, tightening his grip on his ex's shoulder. Michiru let go of the scared child, who made a sobbing break for Yukio. Dulcie too entered the mix and let her father hold the two of them. Yukio attempted to calm his children as they buried their faces into his suit. Looking up, he asked in anger: "Do you want to hold your daughter before she leaves?"

"Only if you'll cut the umbilical."

Yukio kissed Romey's forehead and let the two dash to their mother. Dulcie was a wreck now as Michiru kneeled to hold her children.

"Don't go away, Mom…" She sobbed, but Michiru tried not to cry. She kept her gaze off of Yukio, whom she knew was staring from a distance.

"This isn't good-bye. We'll see each other again." Michiru smiled, yet finally with a quivering lip. "We're gonna- We're gonna spend Christmas together soon. All of us!"

"I wanna be with daddy** now**!" Romey bawled. Michiru felt the frustration, but tried to keep a level head.

"We're all gonna be together again soon. Don't worry…" She said, stroking her daughter's pigtailed hair. "You just have to be patient." She cooed.

Yukio watched, taking deep breaths to calm his hiccupping while Michiru gave one last kiss to Dulcie's cheek. With a firm hold on Romey's hand, she led her younger daughter to her carseat in the back as the four-year-old looked to her sister and father. Dulcie couldn't contain herself as she watched half of her family prepare to leave without her and Yukio, who leaned down to pick her up as he too watched with a heavy heart.

The car's ignition turned and Michiru kept her gaze on the road, without taking a glance back to her family.

Romey, however, wriggled in her seat to find her dad and sister, her cheeks pink and wet with tears. She didn't get a good glance though as her mother sped away, leaving Yukio holding his oldest as she sobbed for her mother.

There were no words to be exchanged now as he watched the red car speed away. He couldn't find any words to console Dulcie as she clung to him, crying and frightened.

It was over.

XXXX

Walking up the stairs with a sniffling Dulcie on his hand, Yukio made his way back to Hiroki's apartment. He too, rubbed his eyes and tried to breath easy, but it wasn't coming to him.

What he wouldn't give to hold Romey one more time or to see Dulcie happy.

"Yukio!"

Hiroki, followed by his wife, rushed to Yukio as he walked up the stairs.

"Split Custody." Yukio groaned. "I won't see Romey again for three months."

Hiroki took his best friend by the shoulder and led him inside as Mrs. Hida went to prepare something hot to drink.

"It's over." Yukio said, leaning against the wall, putting a hand to his forehead. He looked down to his daughter, whose green-eyed gaze was focused on the floor. Yukio sighed and closed his eyes as he could only think:

"What now?"


End file.
